Injury Notes: Ivey, Ingram, Wells, T. Jones
Jaden Ivey continues to progress in his recovery from the broken left fibula he suffered on New Year’s Day, according to the Pistons, who announced on Thursday (via Twitter) that the third-year guard has been cleared for basketball activities.
Ivey is entering the initial phase of his reconditioning program and will continue to progress in his on-court work, the team stated, adding that he’ll be reevaluated in two weeks.
While Ivey obviously won’t make it back during the regular season, it’s worth noting that the Pistons have yet to formally rule him out for the postseason. Detroit has clinched a playoff spot and will be in the midst of the conference quarterfinals in two weeks.
Of course, there’s still no guarantee that Ivey will be able to return and contribute in the playoffs, but the longer the Pistons can stay alive, the better the odds are that he’ll have a chance to play again this spring.
Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:
- Raptors forward Brandon Ingram has been shut down for the rest of the 2024/25 season after receiving a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection in his injured left ankle this week, head coach Darko Rajakovic told reporters on Wednesday (story via Ian Harrison of The Associated Press). Ingram, acquired from New Orleans at the trade deadline, has yet to make his Raptors debut, having been out with his ankle injury since early December. “It’s what he needs,” Rajakovic said of the injection, adding that Ingram is expected to be good to go for training camp in the fall. “He’s been recovering really well.”
- After being discharged from the hospital on Wednesday, Grizzlies rookie Jaylen Wells was in attendance at the team’s shootaround on Thursday, writes Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Wells, who fractured his wrist and sustained a facial laceration as a result of the hard fall he took in Tuesday’s game, won’t be able to return to action anytime soon, but was “in decent spirits” on Thursday, according to Grizzlies wing Vince Williams.
- Bulls point guard Tre Jones, who sprained his left foot last month, still doesn’t appear close to returning to action. According to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link), Jones was still wearing a walking boot as of Wednesday night. While the team hasn’t provided an official update recently, it seems increasingly unlikely that the veteran guard will have a chance to return this season unless the Bulls advance beyond the play-in tournament.
Josh Kroenke Serving As Nuggets’ Interim President Of Basketball Ops
Nuggets vice chairman Josh Kroenke will serve as the team’s interim president of basketball operations for the rest of this season following Tuesday’s dismissal of general manager Calvin Booth, reports NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link).
According to Haynes, Kroenke will be assisted in that role by vice president of basketball operations Ben Tenzer and assistant general manager Tommy Balcetis.
A “thorough” search for a new head of basketball operations is expected to take place once Denver’s season ends, Haynes adds.
Assuming the Nuggets name a new GM/president this spring fairly early in their offeason, Kroenke likely won’t make many basketball decisions in his new, temporary role. Denver has 15 players on standard contracts and none of the team’s three two-way players look like strong candidates for a promotion in the season’s final days, so the team likely won’t be making any roster moves until the summer.
It’s unclear whether Tenzer and/or Balcetis will be serious candidates to become the Nuggets’ new head of basketball operations or whether the club will target an executive from outside of the organization. It will also be interesting to see what the timeline of that search looks like, since it would make sense for Booth’s replacement to have a hand in the hiring of a new head coach.
After firing Booth and head coach Michael Malone, Kroenke figures to be heavily involved in both the GM and coaching searches.
Pacific Notes: Zubac, Monk, Warriors Loss, Podziemski
Ivica Zubac recorded the first triple-double of his NBA career in the Clippers’ win over the Rockets on Wednesday, compiling 20 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high 10 assists. The veteran center achieved the feat when he assisted on Bogdan Bogdanovic‘s late three-pointer.
Zubac, who signed a three-year extension in September, almost didn’t get a chance to make some personal history.
“I wanted it,” Zubac told Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. “T. Lue (coach Tyronn Lue) wanted to sub me out, then everyone was like, ‘No, no, no.’ He asked me and I was like, ‘I’ll stay.’ I wanted it. I told Bogie ‘I’ll get it to you and you got to shoot it no matter what,’ and he did. Bogie is a big-time shot maker. So, I told him he’s never paying for dinner again. I’m glad he made that shot.”
The Clippers’ sixth straight win kept them tied with the Nuggets for the fourth-best record in the West.
We have more from the Pacific Division:
- Kings sixth man Malik Monk won’t be available for at least two weeks due to a calf strain. It’s a case of very bad timing for the club as the postseason approaches, Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee notes. “It’s super unfortunate because we depend on him a lot,” interim Kings coach Doug Christie said. “In many ways, he is the leader of the team, definitely on the emotional side. A lot of the energy, the things that go on in the locker room, practice. He’s the head of the snake in many ways. He’ll still be around, obviously, but two weeks is two weeks and we need him. We need Malik’s energy, his shooting, his athleticism.”
- A bad loss to the Spurs on Wednesday left the Warriors in a precarious position. They’re now in seventh place in the West with two games remaining. If the Grizzlies win their final three games against the Minnesota, Denver and Dallas — plus the Clippers beat the Kings on Friday and the Nuggets beat the Rockets on Sunday — then the Warriors would be stuck in the play-in tournament, regardless of whether they win their final two games, according to The Athletic’s Anthony Slater. Golden State has games remaining against the Trail Blazers and Clippers. “A good team takes care of business the next two and goes from there,” Stephen Curry said. “We have to prove we’re a good team.”
- Warriors wing Brandin Podziemski had a rough outing on Wednesday, scoring just seven points in 33 minutes. In his previous four games, Podziemski averaged 23.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists. His surge in the second half of the season has fueled the Warriors’ chase for a top-six spot, Slater writes. “He was pressing early,” coach Steve Kerr said. “He was trying too hard to be an All-Star instead of just taking the next step. And we had a lot of guys who could all play. He didn’t stand out in camp. He didn’t play well enough to earn what he’s earning now.”
Latest On Nuggets’ Dismissals Of Calvin Booth, Michael Malone
Team officials and players had grown weary of the disconnect between Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth and head coach Michael Malone. That, plus a desire to audition top assistant David Adelman for the head coaching job, led to the dismissals of both Booth and Malone, The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Tony Jones report.
Booth wanted to fire Malone as the team struggled down the stretch but knew he no longer had the power to make that bold move because of his contract situation. In the last year of his deal after failing to sign extension with ownership, Booth figured he would have to wait until after the playoffs to dismiss Malone, depending upon how the team performed.
Instead, owner Stan Kroenke and team president Josh Kroenke chose to part with both of them. The Kroenkes had made previous efforts to repair the relationship between Booth and Malone to no avail and ultimately decided to get rid of the negativity that was affecting the team. The team’s most important players, including Nikola Jokic, had grown frustrated and weary by Malone’s fiery approach.
Having replaced Malone shortly before the regular season ended, Adelman will have a chance to show whether he should have the interim tag removed after the postseason. Adelman has the support of the team’s regulars due to his steady and calm demeanor.
The ownership group is also aware that Adelman, whose contract is expiring, could have other head coaching opportunities. The Trail Blazers are likely to pursue him if they decide to fire Chauncey Billups, league sources tell Amick and Jones.
Here’s more from The Athletic’s in-depth reporting:
- It’s expected that the Kroenkes will mull a possible reunion with Tim Connelly, the former Nuggets GM who took over as the Timberwolves’ top exec in May 2022. Connelly has an opt-out in his contract for this summer. However, it’s believed that the Timberwolves’ new owners, Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore, will try to retain him. If the Nuggets can’t pry away Connelly, they could instead make a run at Minnesota GM Matt Lloyd.
- Malone had more input on personnel decisions when Connelly ran the show. Once Booth took over, Malone had much less influence and that irked the head coach. Booth had considered firing Malone prior to the team’s 2023 championship run.
- Booth had extensive discussions with the Kroenkes heading into the season but chose not to sign what he believed was a below-market offer. However, Booth believed that an extension was a mere formality. The Kroenkes pulled their offer when the club got off to a mediocre start.
- As previously reported, Booth wanted Malone to give more minutes to the younger guys that he drafted, particularly Jalen Pickett and Peyton Watson. After the team was eliminated by Minnesota last season, Booth thought Malone should have expanded the rotation during the regular season to keep the top players fresher, while Malone thought Booth should have given him a more well-rounded roster.
- Booth’s offseason decisions to give Zeke Nnaji a four-year contract and sign Dario Saric further strained the relationship. Malone hasn’t used either player in the rotation in recent months. Malone’s decision to stick with Russell Westbrook, another offseason pickup, over Pickett also caused considerable friction.
- Westbrook’s future with the organization, even if he picks up his $3.4MM option, is uncertain. Adelman was quicker to sub out Westbrook for Pickett during the team’s win over the Kings on Wednesday. Jamal Murray is expected to return from his hamstring injury on Friday.
Suns Notes: Elimination, Budenholzer, Booker, Defense, Durant, Future
Head coach Mike Budenholzer wouldn’t speculate on his future after the Suns were officially eliminated from postseason contention with their eighth straight loss on Wednesday.
“It’s pretty raw right now, it’s pretty fresh,” Budenholzer said, per ESPN News Services. “It’s been tough. There’s no doubt about it. We haven’t been as good as we’ve needed to be and expected to be.”
Budenholzer was signed to a five-year, $50MM contract last spring after Frank Vogel was dismissed. Vogel lasted just one season with the franchise and Monty Williams was fired after the 2022/23 season, shortly after Mat Ishbia became the primary owner. Firing Budenholzer would mean four different head coaches in four seasons.
Budenholzer has been in frequent contact with Ishbia.
“He’s always pushing us to win. To try to find ways to win. He’s ultra competitive. It’s always very consistent from him,” Budenholzer said, as Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic tweets.
Devin Booker said after the 125-112 loss to the Thunder that there’s plenty of blame to go around for the team’s collapse.
“There’s not one thing or one person or one player or one coach that’s the problem,” Booker said. “When you’ve had a season this bad, it’s a bunch of things. I think the most frustrating part is being that close a few years ago, and now being back to where we are.”
We have more on the league’s most disappointing team:
- A lack of defensive discipline and toughness was a major reason why the Suns floundered, according to The Atheltic’s Doug Haller and Amos Morale III. With the payroll far above the second tax apron, the Suns were unable to make significant moves to improve the roster. Their failed attempt to acquire Jimmy Butler highlighted that point.
- Kevin Durant was unavailable once again on Wednesday. He hasn’t played this month due to an ankle injury. “He’s making progress but regardless of wins and losses, we’ve got to see if he’s healthy,” Budenholzer said, per Rankin (Twitter link). “I don’t think there may even be a decision to make, but we’ll see how he does over the next 24 to 48 hours.” All signs point to Durant being traded this offseason, Rankin writes.
- Phoenix is just the latest example of a franchise that made reckless moves and sacrificed future success for fleeting short-term gains rather than exercising patience, The Athletic’s John Hollinger opines. The Suns have traded all of their own draft picks through 2031 and have the league’s worst contract, according to Hollinger, who notes that Bradley Beal has a no-trade clause and is still owed more than $110MM over the next two seasons. The only real solution, Hollinger says, is to trade both Booker and Durant for draft capital and start a complete rebuild.
Lakers Clinch Playoff Berth
It was overshadowed by Luka Doncic‘s emotional return to Dallas, but the Lakers clinched a playoff spot with tonight’s 112-97 win over the Mavericks, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN. At 49-31, L.A. can wrap up the No. 3 seed by winning Friday at home against Houston or Sunday at Portland.
Doncic led the way on Wednesday with 45 points after the Mavs welcomed him back with a tribute video during pregame introductions (Twitter link from Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal). Dallas fans cheered wildly for their former franchise player when his name was announced and continued to show their support throughout the game.
“I don’t know how I did it,” Doncic told ESPN (Twitter link). “Because when I was watching that video, I was like, ‘There’s no way I’m playing this game.'”
The improbable addition of Doncic shortly before the trade deadline in February changed the course of the Lakers’ season, setting them up as a dangerous opponent heading into the playoffs. Doncic is surrounded by a roster that’s just as talented as the one he led to the NBA Finals last year, and he appears to be fully healthy after dealing with a string of injuries during the first half of the season.
LeBron James continues to perform at an All-NBA level after turning 40 in December, averaging 24.5 points, 7.9 assists and 8.3 assists in 68 games heading into tonight. He and Doncic are both creative passers with elite court vision and a history of playoff success.
Austin Reaves gives the Lakers a reliable third scorer who can carry the offense on any given night. Reaves has been handed a larger role under first-year coach J.J. Redick and has responded with career highs of 20.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists in 71 games.
The Lakers made another significant move at the deadline, acquiring Mark Williams from Charlotte in exchange for Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish and draft assets, but they later rescinded the deal due to concerns about Williams’ health following his physical. That decision left Jaxson Hayes as the team’s starting center with little proven help off the bench to back him up.
L.A. may have another roster move to make before the regular season ends. Jordan Goodwin was promoted from a two-way contract to a standard deal in late March, and either Christian Koloko or Trey Jemison is reportedly being considered for a spot on the 15-man roster to become eligible for the playoffs. Veteran center Alex Len appears to be most in danger of being waived if that happens.
Nuggets Notes: Adelman, Malone, Booth, Murray
Interim coach David Adelman talked about improving the “overall vibe” around the Nuggets as he met with the media before Wednesday’s game at Sacramento, according to Bennett Durando of The Denver Post (Twitter link). Adelman also cited the need for players “to start to rely on each other in a more positive way. And constructive criticism is good, but I think there’s gotta be a better way to communicate with our group. And that I think will lead to better play.”
Adelman is in a difficult spot as he takes over a team locked in a tight playoff race with three games left in the regular season. Denver could wind up anywhere from third to eighth in the conference standings, so it’s urgent to pick up wins tonight against the Kings, Friday at home against Memphis, and Sunday at Houston.
Adelman also acknowledged former head coach Michael Malone, who amassed 471 victories in nearly 10 seasons with the Nuggets before being dismissed on Tuesday along with general manager Calvin Booth (Twitter link).
“Best coach in (franchise) history,” Adelman said. “Can’t argue it. Percentage-wise. Wins. Finals championship. … The national narrative, whatever it is, I look at it as a hell of a run. And he’s not done.”
Adelman told reporters that vice chairman Josh Kroenke met with the players after the decision to fire Malone and Booth was announced (Twitter link). According to Adelman, Kroenke’s message was, “To be concise: ‘Be better.'”
There’s more on the Nuggets:
- Booth deserved to be fired after letting the trade deadline pass without a major addition, but Malone should have been treated better, contends Troy Renck of The Denver Post. Renck argues that if Malone had been in charge of personnel, he never would have let Bruce Brown or Kentavious Caldwell-Pope leave in free agency. Renck also points out that Malone gave opportunities to the young talent that Booth drafted, but only Christian Braun has emerged as a dependable rotation player.
- Booth’s mistakes included gambling on Jamal Murray‘s health by giving him a four-year max extension last offseason, writes Sean Keeler of The Denver Post. Murray was a vital part of the 2023 championship team, but he missed the previous two postseasons with a torn ACL and his status for this year’s playoffs is uncertain due to inflammation in his right hamstring.
- Giannis Sfairopoulos, head coach of Crvena Zvezda in Belgrade, talked to George Adamopoulos of Eurohoops about getting an offer to become an assistant with the Nuggets when Malone took over the team in 2015. “If I agreed, maybe I would still be there,” Sfairopoulos said. “But that’s not the point. The point is it was bad timing.”
Heat Notes: Anderson, Jovic, Herro, Larsson
Kyle Anderson and the Heat are both happy that he wound up in Miami as part of the Jimmy Butler trade in February, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Anderson was originally slated to go to Toronto in the complex five-team deal, but that arrangement fell through and Golden State shipped him to the Heat instead. Coach Erik Spoelstra is glad to have him, as he told reporters before tonight’s game at Chicago.
“I just can’t say enough about Kyle,” Spoelstra said. “Kyle is a winning basketball player. He really is. He’s an unorthodox player, so you have to view him differently. His skill set is not a traditional skill set. But if you can embrace what he does, he can unlock a lot of different strengths out of our team. I just love what he brings. He’s a competitor. I think above anything else, he competes and winning really matters to him. He competes on both ends. He’s a two-way basketball player and he does a lot of different things that impact the game.”
The move has beneficial for Anderson, who wasn’t seeing regular playing time with the Warriors. He has helped to fill a need with Nikola Jovic sidelined since late February due to a broken right hand, and Chiang notes that he has played at least 20 minutes off the bench in seven of Miami’s last eight games. During that stretch, the Heat are outscoring teams by 23.8 points per 100 possessions with Anderson on the court.
“Kyle is giving us something different,” Spoelstra added. “He’s a point guard. So he can set the table, he can control tempo, he can control and manipulate the defense. He can do it from the point guard position, he can do it from the low post. He just has a knack for those kind of plays and nuances. And we want to lean into that. Because it seems like a good fit right now with that second unit for him to be able to just kind of manipulate and orchestrate with his experience and IQ.”
There’s more on the Heat:
- Jovic is making progress with his recovery and is traveling with the team, but Spoelstra isn’t sure if he’ll be able to play again this season, Chiang states in a separate story. “I don’t know yet,” Spoelstra told reporters. “He’s basically doing everything. It’s just whether his hand can take contact.”
- The Heat are promoting Tyler Herro on social media for the Most Improved Player award, according to Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. The sixth-year shooting guard is having his most productive offensive season, averaging career highs of 23.8 points and 5.5 assists per game. “His maturity offensively and his role for our team has grown the last couple of months,” Spoelstra said. “And that’s due to all these pressure situations that we’ve been in, where everything just feels heightened and where we had injuries and he had to play a different way for us to be successful. He’s just more patient. He’s allowing the game to happen. His skill set can just take advantage of those situations.”
- Rookie guard Pelle Larsson was forced to miss tonight’s game after spraining his ankle while lifting weights, per Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press (Twitter link).
Malik Monk To Be Reevaluated In Two Weeks For Calf Strain
The Kings will have to get through the play-in tournament without Malik Monk, who will be reevaluated in two weeks after being diagnosed with a strained left calf, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.
Monk was injured Monday at Detroit, leaving the game for good with 1:38 left in the first quarter. A two-week absence would bring him back early in a first-round playoff series if Sacramento is able to advance that far.
Monk has excelled this season while starting 45 of the 65 games he’s played after finishing as the runner-up for Sixth Man of the Year honors in 2024. He’s averaging a career-high 17.2 points to go with 3.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists in 31.6 minutes per night with .439/.325/.865 shooting numbers.
After beginning the season in his customary bench role, Monk was moved into the starting lineup by former head coach Mike Brown on December 1. He was shifted back to a sixth-man role when he returned from an injury on March 27.
Monk is a potentially huge loss for the Kings, who are still trying to wrap up home court advantage in the 9-10 play-in matchup. At 39-40, they lead Dallas by one game entering Wednesday’s action.
With Monk sidelined, Sacramento brought back guard Terence Davis earlier today to fill an open spot on the roster.
Dallas Prepares To Welcome Back Luka Doncic
The NBA’s most eagerly anticipated homecoming in several years is about to take place as Luka Doncic gets ready for his first game in Dallas since the shocking trade that sent him to the Lakers in early February.
The Mavericks are planning a tribute video highlighting Doncic’s accomplishments during his six and a half years with the team, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Team sources tell MacMahon that the Mavs contacted several companies that Doncic endorses to set up sponsorship deals for the game, but those fell apart when Doncic’s camp refused to provide its support, pointing out that he’s now a Laker.
The teams have gone in sharply different directions since news of the deal first leaked on the weekend before the trade deadline. The addition of Doncic, who’s averaging 27.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game since changing teams, helped L.A. rise into third place in the West at 48-31, while Dallas is holding on to the final play-in spot at 38-41.
“I know it’s been two months or something, but still adapting a little bit,” Doncic said recently. “It was a big change. But it’s getting better.”
The trade also created a lot of ill will among Mavericks fans, and team sources told MacMahon it will probably result in a nine-figure loss in revenue over the next few years. He adds that the franchise is projected to lose “dozens of millions” this season because of smaller crowds, a sharp drop in merchandise sales, and sponsors who decided to end their relationship due to the intense public reaction to the deal.
There’s more on Doncic’s return to Dallas:
- Doncic and his support staff were “stunned” when they learned about the trade and angered by leaks from Mavericks management that he didn’t work hard enough to stay in shape, writes Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. Doncic snapped back at the accusations, which he believes are an attack on his character. “They have no idea,” Doncic said. “… I didn’t end up here by mistake. You know? I worked my ass off to be here. So it’s kinda, I would say disrespectful, just sad that people say that.” Woike adds that people close to the Lakers had been impressed by Doncic’s work ethic since he joined the team, noting that he always attends optional workouts and he was able to get back into shape fairly quickly after missing 22 games with a strained calf.
- After the Mavericks lost in the NBA Finals, general manager Nico Harrison challenged all the players to come back “10% to 15% better,” NBA insider Marc Stein states in a Substack column (subscription required). The message was believed to be aimed at Doncic, and Stein describes Harrison as “seething” when his star player was knocked out of action by the calf strain on Christmas Day. The front office was also upset that Doncic isolated himself after each of his injuries this season and insisted that all rehab work would be conducted by his personal “body team.”
- Former owner Mark Cuban and franchise legend Dirk Nowitzki, who served as a special advisor to Cuban, both lost their influence when the franchise was sold to Miriam Adelson and Patrick Dumont in November 2023, Stein adds. With two of his top supporters gone, rifts eventually developed between Doncic and management over several issues.
- Mavericks coach Jason Kidd put the trade in historic context during a session with reporters before tonight’s game, tweets Christian Clark of The Athletic. “This is a business. Trades happen. This won’t be the last trade,” Kidd said. “Some are comparing it to Babe Ruth, which is kind of cool. But when you look at the business of sports, change happens. When change happens, it’s the ones who carry on and keep moving forward. Those are the special people.”
- Doncic embraced Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington and assistant coach God Shammgod when he came out for pregame warm-ups (Twitter video link from Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News).